27 May 2025 - Cecil Sharp House
Each Open Day will be
- CREATIVE – music workshops with highly skilled professional folk musicians
- INFORMATIVE – Q&A about the National Youth Folk Ensemble
- FUN – opportunity to meet and play music with other young musicians
- FREE to attend
To register for an Open Day you will need to:
- be aged 12–18
- live in England
- be able to play confidently on your chosen instrument
Open Days are open to players of any instrument but not suitable for vocalists. No experience of folk music necessary. All playing and learning will be done by ear – no need to read notation!
National Youth Folk Ensemble Open Days are free to attend, but you need to book in advance. If the cost of travelling would be a barrier to your attending an Open Day, please contact us as we have financial help available.
If you enjoy the Open Day, you may wish to audition for the National Youth Folk Ensemble. Find out more.
I absolutely loved this experience and it was very empowering playing with others, playing traditional English tunes but making them our own
Folk is relatively new to me, and this really boosted my confidence.
New to folk?
We have a range of resources to introduce young instrumentalists and their teachers to folk music:
Folk Music Starting Points
Films to demystify folk music, produced by the National Youth Folk Ensemble creative team. Explore the resource
Exploring English Folk Music
An interactive performance by renowned folk musicians Sam Sweeney and Rob Harbron with National Youth Folk Ensemble alumni. Explore the resource
Folk and Traditional Music
A performance by the National Youth Folk Ensemble and folk band Leveret, with accompanying resources for teachers. Explore the resource
There are many other resources for folk music teaching and learning on our award-winning Resource Bank.
You can also sign up for email updates (select the ‘EFDSS Youth News’ option).
Image Credit: Camilla Greenwell
Support us, and support the folk arts
We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England.
Donations provide immediate support. But even more than that, they prove that so many people value what we do – helping us to secure funding from partner organisations.
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